Pittswood Birds

I was out at first light this moning, a bit before, in fact. I wanted to get down o the lake area to have a look for visiting ducks before the dog walkers were about. However, only the COOT was out of the ordinary, also there, were 14 MALLARD and a few MOORHENS. The wet woods had produced 3 TEAL earlier, as well as a feeding Tit flock, TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH and 5 GOLDCRESTS.
Out on Migrant Alley the first STOCK DOVE of the month flew over, and a total of 18 YELLOWHAMMER, 29 SKYLARKS, a sprinkling a FIELDFARE, and REDWING and a couple each of MISTLE THRUSH and SONG THRUSH, also feeding on the stubble was a GREY WAGTAIL another first for the month.
I was followed by a barking dog all the way down the stream behind the college, so nothing much was noted there, apart from a small mixed flock of SISKIN and GOLDFINCH. I lost the dog when I crossed the stream, and walked through the college grounds and garden. A KINGFISHER flew off one of the ponds, where, in the vegetatation a group of 5 BULLFINCH were feeding on berries, a CHIFFCHAFF was heard calling from the same vegetation, but I couldn't see it, a good addition for this months list. I crossed the college sports pitch, where over 100 BLACK HEADED GULLS and 2 COMMON GULLS were feeding, along with more Redwing and Fieldfare. The home leg of my walk passes back through migrant Alley, along the hedgerow separating it from the Greenhouses, in here was a female REED BUNTING, the fourth additon for the months list, which brings it to a total to 63, a new record for December. So it was a productive visit, 49 species were seen in all, nothing spectacular but an enjoyable walk. As I filled the garden feeders this evening the 50th species turned up - a MARSH TIT.

Once agian, the pictures are poor, but here are the couple I did salvage - somewhat!


Above; Female Reed Bunting. Below: The Grey Wagtail